A&E and History Name New Heads of Programming

Elaine Frontain Bryant and Paul Cabana both rise within the A+E Networks family.

Rob Sharenow, has named A+E Networks veteran Elaine Frontain Bryant as the new head of programming at the cable family's flagship network. Dirk Hoogstra has upped Paul Cabana at the network to head of programming at History.

“Elaine and Paul are visionary creative executives who, over the past few years, have been vital to the success of A+E Networks,” said Sharenow, executive vp and general manager, A&E and Lifetime, andHoogstra, executive vp and general manager, History and H2, in a joint statement. “They’re both exceptional leaders with strong ties to the creative community who will be developing the next generation of brand-defining hits across multiple platforms for A&E, History and H2.”

The moves come as both networks look to bounce back from a year of steep ratings declines. Only a month ago, Sharenow moved over from Lifetime to take the reigns at A&E. Both Frontain Bryant and Cabana will have exec vp titles at their respective networks.

For Frontain Bryant, the move is a return to her former network. Most recently, she was with A&E, as senior vp of nonfiction and alternative programming, from 2005 to 2013. In that role, she oversaw the launch of hit Duck Dynasty, still the No. 1 reality show on cable — albeit humbled from its previous ratings highs.

Cabana was most recently senior vp at H2, where he was already head of programming. First a senior executive producer at History, he's overseen such series as America Unearthed and Brad Meltzer’s Lost History.